Medic Strong

Paramedic Functional Abilities Test
(PFAT™)

PFAT™

Physical evaluations are considered an essential component of the hiring process for many Paramedic and Emergency Medical Services in Ontario. The Paramedic Functional Abilities Test (PFAT™) was created by paramedics, for paramedics with the guidance of physiotherapists.

Who We Are

A team of practicing, evidence based, healthcare professionals focused on the integration of current research and clinical expertise for the delivery of optimal and effective healthcare.

Jamieson and Amanda Gemmell are twin siblings who sought out to provide a local functional abilities test that examines the most commonly performed tasks of a paramedic.

Jamieson Gemmell is a practicing advanced care paramedic (ACP) for Essex-Windsor EMS. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Paramedicine in 2022 and additionally teaches at St. Clair College as a Paramedic Instructor. Jamieson is also the Essex-Windsor EMS 2020 Mentor of the Year award recipient.

Amanda Gemmell is a registered physiotherapist who specializes in treating pelvic health and orthopaedic conditions at her private practice. She earned her BA in Biology at Faulkner University in 2015 while playing varsity soccer on a scholarship. Amanda completed her Master of Science in Physical Therapy at Queens University in 2017. Currently, she serves as an international teaching assistant for post-graduate pelvic health courses and is a co-owner of Sport Medicine Physiotherapy in Windsor, ON.

Developing the PFAT™

Physical evaluation tests (PETs) are considered an essential component of the hiring process for many Paramedic and Emergency Medical Services in Ontario. The Paramedic Functional Abilities Test (PFAT™) is a research based job simulated evaluation created by paramedics, for paramedics with the guidance of physiotherapists.

The PFAT™ was created with the following standards:

  • Evidence Based

  • Meeting The Current Educational Standard

  • Expert Opinions

  • Roundtable Feedback/ Paramedic Consensus

  • Analysis Of Most Common Job Specific Tasks

  • Legally Defensible

  • Easily Implemented

Our goal is to have all applicants who successfully complete the PFAT™ fully prepared to safely enter this very physically demanding job. To assist with this, task specific strengthening videos (created by Amanda Gemmell - PT) are provided in the Test Preparation tab to help applicants prepare (optional).

Meeting The Current Education Standard

  • The PFAT™ meets current Ontario Educational Standards followed by Ontario Colleges

  • Compliant with the National Occupational Competency Profile for Paramedics (NOCP’s): under sections 3.1 and 3.2

Expert Opinions

  • Advanced and Primary Care Paramedics

  • Physiotherapists: sports and exercise medicine, acute care, orthopaedics, pelvic health

  • Physician: Dr. Deji Akinlaja

Roundtable Feedback/ Paramedic Consensus

  • EMS survey

  • Paramedic discussion group

Analysis Of Most Common Job Specific Tasks

  • The PFAT™ primary developer (Jamieson Gemmell) is a practicing full-time advanced care paramedic. This provides a unique insight as to what tasks are truly realistic and common through years of experience

  • “Physiotherapy has been proven to be effective in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of acute and chronic conditions, the prevention of injury and disability, and in promoting health and wellbeing” (Ontario Physiotherapy Association, June 16, 2023). Understanding not only how these tasks are performed, but the rehabilitation when things ‘go wrong’ on the job was key to developing the PFAT™. Amanda Gemmell has many years of experience in treating paramedics with an emphasis on resilience once returning to work.

Legally Defensible

Easily Implemented

  • The PFAT™ has been designed to be as objective as possible, minimizing the impact of personal bias or subjective interpretations. Once administered and scored, the results are clear and straightforward to interpret

  • Applicants are paired with two experienced, practicing paramedics. One paramedic will be a lifting partner during certain sections of the test while is scoring

Evidence Based

References

  • Armstrong, D.P., Sinden, K.E., Sendsen, J., MacPhee, R.S., Fischer, S.L. (2019). Evaluating the effect of a strength and conditioning program to improve paramedic candidates' physical readiness for duty. Work, 63(4), 623-633. doi: 10.3233/WOR-192953

  • British Columbia (Public Service Employee Relations Commission) v. BCGSEU (Supreme Court of Canada September 9, 1999). 

  • Coffey, B., MacPhee, R.S., Socha, D., Fischer, S.L. (2016). A physical demands description of paramedic work in Canada. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 53, 355-362.

  • Drain, J.R., Reilly, T.J. (2019). Physical employment standards, physical training and musculoskeletal injury in physically demanding occupations. Work, 63(4), 495-508. doi: 10.3233/WOR-192963.

  • Emergency Health Regulatory and Accountability Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health. (2018). Physical Employment Standards for Ambulance Services. (Version 3.4). Emergency Health Regulatory and Accountability Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health.

  • Fischer, S.L., Sinden, K.E., MacPhee, R.S.; Ottawa Paramedic Service (OPS) Research Team. (2017). Identifying the critical physical demanding tasks of paramedic work: Towards the development of a physical employment standard. Applied Ergonomics, 65, 233-239. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2017.06.021.

  • Government of Canada. Career Handbook - National Occupational Classification - 3234.0 Paramedical Occupations. (2023). Retrieved from https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/CareerHandbook/ChProfile?objectid=J%2BFAp61mg3eH5PfIJgdG%2BSINzRgKsR9fGmODhatsYQE%3D

  • Gumieniak, Robert, Veronica K. Jamnik, and Norman Gledhill. "Physical Fitness Bona Fide Occupational Requirements for Safety-Related Physically Demanding Occupations; Test Development Considerations." Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, Vol. 4, No.2, April 14, 2011, pp. 47-52.

  • Ministry of Health Ontario. (May 2022). College program standard: Paramedic. Ontario.ca. Ontario Government. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/page/college-program-standard-paramedic

  • Ministry Ontario of Labour. (April 2018). Training and Skills Development. Ontario.ca. Ontario Government. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-labour-immigration-training-skills-development

  • Morales, L., McEachern, B.M., MacPhee, R.S., Fischer, S.L. (2016). Patient acuity as a determinant of paramedics' frequency of being exposed to physically demanding work activities. Applied Ergonomics, 56, 187-193. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.04.003.

  • Nevola, V.R., Lowe, M.D., Marston, C.A. (2019). Review of methods to identify the critical job-tasks undertaken by the emergency services. Work, 63(4), 521-536. doi: 10.3233/WOR-192914.